2012 award-winning children's books

The American Library Association (ALA) Youth Media Awards honor children's and young adult book authors and illustrators, as well as producers of children's audio and video materials, which includes the Caldecott, Coretta Scott King, Newbery and Printz awards. Renee McGrath, manager of Youth Services for the Nassau Library System in Uniondale sat on the Newbery Selection Committee for 2012. "Being on the Newbery Selection Committee has been a great honor," McGrath said. "I feel privileged to have read so deeply and critically over this past year. I think it has changed not only the way I read but my respect has grown even more for the writing that is available today for children and young adults." Here, the 2012 ALA youth media award winners.
--Compiled by Jennifer Berger

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"Dead End in Norvelt," Jack Gantos

2012 John Newbery Medal for the most outstanding contribution to children's literature.
(Farrar, Straus and Giroux; $15.99)
BEST FOR Ages 10 and up

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"A Ball for Daisy," Chris Raschka

Randolph Caldecott Medal for the most distinguished American picture book for children
(Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books; $16.99)
BEST FOR Ages 3 and up

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"Where Things Come Back,” John Corey Whaley

Michael L. Printz Award for excellence in literature written for young adults and the William C. Morris Award for a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens
(Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing; $16.99)
BEST FOR Ages 14 and up

"Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans," Kadir Nelson

Coretta Scott King (Author) Book Award recognizing an African-American author and illustrator of outstanding books for children and young adults
(Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins; $19.99)
BEST FOR Ages 8 and up

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“Underground: Finding the Light to Freedom,” Shane W. Evans

Coretta Scott King (Illustrator) Book Award
(Neal Porter Book, published by Roaring Brook Press; $16.99)
BEST FOR Ages 4 and up

Storyteller, artist, author, poet and musician, Bryan created his first children’s book in first grade. He grew up in the Bronx and in 1962, he became the first African-American to both write and illustrate a children’s book. After a successful teaching career, Bryan left academia to creation artwork. He has since garnered numerous awards for his significant and lasting literary contribution of poetry, spirituals and story.
Bryan is also the author and illustrator of "All Things Bright and Beautiful" (Atheneum Books for Young Readers; ages 2 and up).

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"Close to Famous," Joan Bauer

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the experience of being disabled
(Viking; $6.99)
BEST FOR Ages 10 and up

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"Wonderstruck," Brian Selznick

Schneider Family Book Award for books that embody an artistic expression of the experience of being disabled
(Scholastic Press; $29.99)
BEST FOR Ages 9 and up

Andrew Carnegie Medal for excellence in children's video. Paul R. Gagne and Melissa Reilly Ellard of Weston Woods Studios Inc. The video is based on the book written by Peter Brown, and is narrated by Emily Eiden, with music by Jack Sundrud and Rusty Young, and animation by Soup2Nuts.
(Little, Brown Books for Young Readers; $16.99)
BEST FOR Ages 4 and up

Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. Susan Cooper is the 2012 Edwards Award winner. Her books include: The Dark Is Rising Sequence: “Over Sea, Under Stone”; “The Dark Is Rising”; “Greenwitch”; “The Grey King”; and “Silver on the Tree.”
(Margaret K. McElderry Books; $14.99)
BEST FOR Ages 9 and up

Mildred L. Batchelder Award for an outstanding children's book translated from a foreign language and subsequently published in the United States. This book was originally published in Dutch in 2008 as ”Soldaat Woitek."
(Eerdmans Books for Young Readers; $13)
BEST FOR Ages 9 and up

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"Rotters,” Daniel Kraus, Kirby Heyborne (Narrator)

Odyssey Award for best audiobook produced for children and/or young adults, available in English in the United States
(Listening Library, an imprint of Random House Audio Publishing Group; $25)
BEST FOR Ages 14 and up

Pura Belpré (Illustrator) Award honoring a Latino writer and illustrator whose children's books best portray, affirm and celebrate the Latino cultural experience
(Abrams Books for Young Readers; $16.95)
BEST FOR Ages 5 and up

"Balloons Over Broadway: The True Story of the Puppeteer of Macy's Parade,” Melissa Sweet

Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award for most distinguished informational book for children
(Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; $16.99)
BEST FOR Ages 4 and up

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"Putting Makeup on the Fat Boy," Bil Wright

Stonewall Book Award -Mike Morgan & Larry Romans Children’s & Young Adult Literature Award given annually to English-language children’s and young adult books of exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience
(Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers; $16.99)
BEST FOR Ages 12 and up

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"Tales for Very Picky Eaters,” Josh Schneider

Theodor Seuss Geisel Award for the most distinguished beginning reader book
(Clarion Books; $14.99)
BEST FOR Ages 6 and up

YALSA Award for Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults honors the best nonfiction book published for young adults, ages 12 — 18, each year
(Flash Point/Roaring Brook Press; $19.99)
BEST FOR Ages 12 and up